Chapter Text
To say that today just wasn’t her day would be an understatement. She ran out of coffee grounds this morning, now had a headache, got outbid for a job, and now this? Korra wanted to smash her head onto the steering wheel but as smoke billowed from the hood of her truck, she decided against adding another cost to fixing the piece of shit.
It wasn’t a piece of shit, it actually was a nice truck, but fuck if it didn’t have its issues every now and then. Just like her. Korra was semi thankful that she was still in a residential area as she pulled over and put on her emergency flashers. Had she been a few streets over in a busier part of Republic City she would have already been yelled at three times for being a menace to society, but by now her middle finger had enough practice to raise itself and then she would ignore the screamers. They’ll be forgotten anyway.
Korra groaned inwardly before unbuckling her seatbelt and getting out of the truck to check what was going on. She wasn’t very knowledgeable about vehicles, but sometimes it would just be a wonky hose that needed to be refitted and she would be on her way. She popped the hood, coughing as more white smoke rushed towards her face, and then stared at the mess of metal, tubes, and wires.
Yep. Looks like an engine.
She checked the battery cables, the oil, wiggled some tubes, and then forgot that metal gets really hot and stuck her hand towards the radiator.
“Ow-fuck!” She yanked her hand back and tried to flick off the white hot pain. It really just wasn’t her day. She sucked on her now red tipped finger and stared incredulously at the offending engine, wondering how close the nearest coffee shop was. At least coffee could fix her headache.
She was about to pull out her phone and get directions when a sweet voice interrupted her angry thoughts.
“You doing ok over here?”
Korra turned and tried to maintain a straight face when she saw who was talking to her. Maybe it’s not such a bad day after all. A girl, no, a woman. Tall, her age, black hair, green eyes. Fuck, had there ever been anything as green? And those lips, so red and sweet. Wait, they’re moving, she’s talking. What did she say?
“Sorry, what was that?”
Sweet, red lips curled into a smile to bare perfect teeth. Of course they were perfect. “I said do you mind if I take a look at it?”
“Oh, uhh,” Korra looked her up and down quickly. “Go for it, I guess. Just watch your hands, it’s really hot.” She held up her throbbing finger and the beautiful woman bit the side of her cheek to keep from laughing.
“Metal tends to do that, yes,” she said with a smirk and walked to inspect under the hood. Korra got a whiff of fresh shampoo and very fancy smelling perfume. The mixture was intoxicating and she had to refrain from leaning into it. That would be creepy.
“-from the radiator, it’s a really easy fix but I don’t have the...are you not listening to me again?” The goddess now had a hand on her hip and cocked it out with a raised eyebrow and wow.
“Wait, what?” Get your shit together Korra, she’s going to think you’re an idiot. “I’m so sorry, it’s been a rough morning and I ran out of coffee and now this...I guess I’m a little out of it.”
Lips smirked again and Korra willed herself to pay attention fully. “I said that it’s probably just a coolant leak from the radiator, it’s an easy fix.” She tilted her head and seemed to gauge something on Korra’s face for a second. “I own a little shop down the road, I can have it towed there and get it checked out for you. We also have coffee.”
A few things flew through her mind, one of them being that the offer almost sounded like flirting, but ‘towing’ had her clicking back into reality. She scratched the back of her neck where it felt itchy from embarrassment. “I can’t really afford to have it towed right now. Do you know what part I need? I can figure out how to fix it myself.”
Green eyes squinted slightly, gauging her once more before the woman seemed to nod to herself. “What kind of carpentry do you do?”
“How do you know I’m a carpenter?” Is she a mind reader? Are those achingly green eyes actually witches orbs, and that’s why they look so unbelievable?
But the woman just threw a thumb over her sharp shoulder. “It’s on the side of the truck. Korra’s Custom Carpentry.” She raised a perfectly sculpted eyebrow and crossed her arms. “Unless you’re not Korra and this vehicle is actually stolen?”
Korra wanted to slap herself so badly but for once in her life she had the decency not to. “No, that’s me. This is my truck.” She wanted to groan for the hundredth time this morning. “I mainly do cabinets, like complete kitchens and bathrooms, but I can make furniture as well. Why?”
“I was thinking we could do a trade,” the girl offered and paused for a moment in thought. “I’ll tow your truck and fix it if you come give me an estimate on my kitchen.”
“Oh, well, I usually do estimates for free, so I don’t think that’s a very fair trade for you.”
“I’m aware of that, it’s on the truck,” she threw the thumb over her shoulder again and Korra just really wanted to die. “So my offer still stands. What do you say?”
It was Korra’s turn to gauge the woman, who by all means looked like the textbook example of Corporate United Republic. Her white button up and black slacks were pressed perfectly and not a hair was out of place, yet she owned a shop? It didn’t make sense yet, but she wasn’t about to turn down free vehicle maintenance. Korra stuck out her hand. “I think you have a deal.”
The handshake was definitely corporate material.
“Perfect,” the woman said and turned to start walking. “Now let’s go get that coffee.”
Korra watched dumbly as that perky ass swayed in perfectly pressed pants until the woman stopped and flipped her hair over her shoulder and fuuuck. Was she unknowingly in a Vogue photo shoot right now?
“You coming, Korra?”
I wish.
Korra shook herself out of the thought, it’s too early to be a disaster, and jogged to meet the woman. “Hey, I never caught your name.”
That smirk turned her insides into mush. “It’s Asami.”
Maybe today won’t be so bad after all.
_______
Her truck purred as she came to a stop outside the address Asami had given her the other day and she gawked at the sight. Korra had been in this area a few times before, the very very rich suburb of Republic City that could hardly be called a suburb since the homes were spaced so far apart. She hesitated to even call them just homes and not estates, but Korra was already a bit on edge with this whole thing anyway to even care about nuances.
Asami had been late for a meeting when they met the other day and could only grab a quick coffee at Starbucks, for which Korra had to fight to pay for, before she ran off. Content to walk home slowly and enjoy her coffee, though it was a far walk, Korra hadn’t realized something incredibly vital until she sat down in her own shop and let the sound of her belt sander lull her into deep thought.
She didn’t have Asami’s number, and Asami didn’t have hers. Shutting off her sander with a deep groan, she had finally smacked a hand to her face. Was it all a rouse to steal her truck? She had insurance, sure, and the truck wasn’t that special, but what the fuck.
But then she got a call from an unknown number later that night and she turned into an idiot all over again.
“Hello?”
‘Korra, hey. It’s Asami.’
Oh thank fuck...but wait, how? “How did you get my number? I’ve been panicking all day thinking you stole my truck.”
Bright laughter rang through the line and it settled somewhere deep in her stomach somehow. ‘Korra....your number is on the side of your truck.’
She slapped a hand over her face but wouldn’t give in to the groan. There had already been too many. “I swear I’m not this stupid, Asami.” She heard a softer laugh and smiled. “It’s just been one of those days, you know?”
‘I get it, don’t worry. So your truck-‘
There had been a few things wrong with her truck and Asami had fixed them all. Korra tried to pay her for even the labor but she quickly realized that when Asami wanted something, she got it, and she didn’t want Korra paying. It was somewhat of a relief, business had been slow lately and while she wasn’t exactly struggling, she definitely wasn’t able to purchase the house that she was about to ring the bell to.
Korra didn’t understand it, as the shop she picked her truck up from was nice but didn’t seem to bring in the revenue that would allow a home like this, but she wasn’t one to pry. Maybe Asami was just from old money, an heiress or something like that. Whatever be the case, she had been nothing but generous and kind to Korra so there was nothing to really worry about.
And when Asami opened the door with a smile that could fuel planets, there was nothing else to think of but those eyes.
“Korra!” She beamed. “It’s good to see you, thanks for making time to give me a bid so quickly.”
It wasn’t that hard, since she wasn’t exactly slammed with work at the moment, but her self preservation wouldn’t allow that admittance yet.
“It’s only fair,” she replied and Asami rolled her eyes. It was interesting to see her in more casual clothing, gone were the pressed clothes for burgundy pants and a white shirt. Relaxed, but clean. Korra took in her surroundings as they walked through the house making small talk. It was organized, somewhat modern, big.
Honestly being inside now it wasn’t as big as Korra thought, just very spacious. Asami explained as they walked through that there’s an indoor pool and a gym, which both got Korra’s attention, as well as her own shop in the backyard. That one made Korra laugh.
“So you own a shop, and have one in your backyard? I mean, don’t they kind of cancel each other out?”
“Not exactly,” she hummed. “My shop here is more for projects, to keep my hands busy, you know? My car shop is a different kind of hobby.”
Korra was inclined to ask what she meant about a shop being a hobby, but they had finally made it to the kitchen and she got busy taking all the measurements of counter spaces, walls, appliances. She took pictures of the layout, where electrical outlets were, the lighting in the ceiling. She always brought a folder with sample photos of her previous work so Korra could keep a possible client entertained while she worked.
Asami went through it pretty quickly and then sat back to watch her work. Though they were silent, it wasn’t uncomfortable or out of place anywhere. Korra took the time to actually appreciate the space as well. Though it was a little outdated, the kitchen was beautiful and had been made with quality workmanship. The whole house was, from what she had seen of it, but that usually came with a house of this size. Deep pockets could pay for the best, and the thought of trying to live up to those expectations was a little daunting.
The look Asami was giving her when Korra finally turned around was even more daunting.
“You think you can work with this?” Asami crossed her arms on the counter and looked at her expectantly, appraisingly.
Korra laughed hard, mirroring the crossed arms across the counter. “I think I can manage.” She smirked, this was the biggest kitchen she had ever been in. “Did you see anything in my portfolio that stood out to you? I have more wood samples at my shop that I can bring back to give you an idea of more textures and colors if nothing jumped out at you.”
“Where’s your shop?”
“My shop?” Why was she asking about the shop? “It’s behind my house over off 49th and Rose.”
Asami nodded. “How about I drop by tomorrow and check out those samples so you don’t have to bring them all the way out here? I’ll be headed out that way anyway.”
Korra had never had a potential client want to stop by her shop and if anyone asked she most likely would have said no, but with Asami looking at her like that with her chin rested in a pale hand, there was only one answer.
“Sure, ok.”
______
49th and Rose was on the complete opposite side of the city that Asami needed to be in that morning but the promise of seeing Korra, and seeing where Korra lived and worked, was worth any angry investors that had to have their meeting pushed back.
Grumpy old men in ill-fitted suits held nothing to gorgeous tan skin and lovely muscles.
Having already told her assistant to push back everything for a few hours and be on standby for more, Asami parked in front of the address Korra had somewhat nervously given her yesterday. She understood, as Asami knew she would be hard pressed to let someone into her own shop, but Korra had relented so she didn’t feel too bad. Something about the woman had drawn her in from that first moment she saw her digging through the hood of her truck.
She had been charmed immediately when blue eyes looked so incredulous at the hot metal that burned her, like she was expecting an engine that had just been running to be cool. Asami had already been late that day and normally would have just walked by and let the person figure it out on their own, but she was drawn in like she hadn’t felt in, well, ever.
It was normally easy for her to keep her composure, years of running a tough boardroom around a bunch of stingy old people who fought hard to trust her built up a tolerance to emotions, but the way Korra wore her heart on her sleeve had Asami slipping. The way soft brown hair fell out of its tiny ponytail to hit at the junction of a tan neck and broad shoulder had her mesmerized, and when those dark lips curled into a cocky smirk Asami’s stomach had flipped. At 25 years old, no one had ever affected her like that. Her knocking on the door of a small house only solidified the notion that Asami Sato might actually be smitten with someone she’s had maybe two hours worth of interactions with.
She was just going to go ahead and add radiant ass smile and a new found love for white t-shirts on tan skin to her list. Korra opened the door with a cup of coffee in her hand and something about the contrast between light and dark had her itching to touch.
“Good morning, Asami!” She beamed. “Do you want some coffee?”
“Please,” she mused and followed into the quaint house. It was decorated with all sorts of blue Tribe artifacts and something about the clean ocean smell just wrapped around her and settled into her brain as the very essence of Korra. It was perfect.
The two of them walked through the house with their coffees, Korra lazily pointing at things on their way to the back yard, and she was impressed when they made it to the shop.
“I bought this property for the land,” Korra said as they walked outside. “The house is nice and all, but I wanted a space where I could build this shop. None of the studios in the main city had tall enough ceilings to be able to fit the woodwork I do so this had to be it. I also think my neighbors would kill me with how much noise my tools make.”
“You built this shop?” Asami looked around, impressed. It had to be close to the size of the house itself.
“A few friends and I did after I moved here and got settled,” Korra said with a shrug and started pulling out all of her wood samples. Asami knew that she was here to look at the samples but she was more impressed with the equipment Korra had in the shop. Well, most of it anyway.
“This table saw has seen its better days,” she offered lightly, but it really was shit. She noticed plenty of Future Industries machines in the shop but that saw had Cabbage Corp written all over it. Literally.
Korra gave her a sheepish grin. “I know it’s junk, but it was the first saw I bought when I moved here so I’m kind of attached to it. I’ve learned my lesson in buying quality, and I’ve had my eye on the new one from Future Industries, but I haven’t been able to part with it yet.”
“Well you should,” Asami said with a laugh. “You’re going to cut your finger off with that thing. Cabbage Corp has a reputation for shoddy workmanship.”
“Sounds like you have personal experience,” Korra said with a raised brow and shit, how was Asami supposed to concentrate when those tan arms were crossed like that. Focus, Sato.
“You can say that again.” She had gotten the impression that Korra didn’t know who she was, and not like she was narcissistic or anything but it was sort of surprising to not be gawked at for once. It was refreshing, really, and if Korra didn’t know who she was now, Asami hoped that the way she was treated wouldn’t change when she did.
Korra just shrugged and beckoned her over to the samples. “Well these obviously aren’t your exhaustive options, I can paint and stain any type of wood you want, but just to get an idea.”
She glanced over the samples, having already known what she wanted of course, but wanted to at least look interested. Asami hadn’t come here for the samples. She came here for Korra. “I know what I want.” You. “How long do you usually take before having a layout and estimate done?”
______
Three days was usually faster than her normal time to get a proper bid estimate done, but Korra just played it off as not having much other work to do. Also, the estimate for Asami’s kitchen had been a trade, so she was willing to put in some extra hours to get it done quickly.
But as she walked up that long ass driveway with butterflies in her stomach, Korra knew she was lying to herself. She wanted to see Asami as soon as she could.
The butterflies might also be nerves, because now that she was being led into the house (mansion, estate, palace, who knows) by a butler and ushered into Asami’s office, her stomach was flipping. This bid was the highest amount she’s ever estimated for a potential customer and Korra was afraid that Asami might think she was taking advantage of her wealth.
She got right to business once the pleasantries were over, ready to be told to fuck off. “Cherry wood cabinets, painted black, butcher block countertop island that overhangs for bar seats; black, leathered granite countertops, industrial sinks and ample, open shelves; ambient canned lighting with drop lights over the island and stove. You’re not saying anything so I’m sure you know how to read an estimate report...” she shut up her ramble as Asami looked at each page thoroughly, a pale finger pushing in her bottom lip in concentration. Those green eyes so calculating.
“40,000 yuans?” Asami said finally and looked up at her with an even face. “Korra, those countertops alone will be close to 10k, the cherry wood close to that same amount. You have an incredibly thorough report here, but all this work and you only quoted yourself 5,000 for labor over the span of-“ she rifled through the papers once more, “two months of work. I don’t mean to question your business practices, but do you always short yourself on labor like that?”
Of all the things she could have thought would happen, that wasn’t one of them. “Oh, umm-“ she was at a loss for words and Asami’s eyebrows just kept getting higher. “Truth be told I didn’t want you to think I was taking advantage of you. I mean, I don’t know your financial situation but this house is....not modest. I was trying to be fair.”
“Well then you would be the first,” Asami said easily as she leaned back in her chair. “I’ve had two bids done before you and their numbers were absolutely wild. One guy tried to quote me 30k alone for just the cabinets.”
“Idiot,” Korra scoffed. She understood competition but that was just ridiculous. “I mean, you have your own shop, of course you’ll know how to read price quotes and estimates. How anyone could try and sneak thousands of yuans under your nose is beyond me.”
Something flashed across Asami’s face but was gone in an instant. “You’d be amazed. However, get me a new estimate with a better quote on your labor costs and I think we have a deal, Korra.” She stuck out her hand to shake and when Korra grabbed it to reciprocate she felt a zap of lightning run through their palms.
Calm yourself down, Korra. You’re business partners now.
______
She somehow had been able to talk Korra into letting her help with the demolition of the kitchen and Asami just let it all out with every crash of her sledgehammer.
Whack! An empty kitchen after her mother’s funeral. Whack! Her dad passed out on the island, drunk. Whack! An empty kitchen after her father’s funeral. Whack! Opal finding her curled into a ball in front of the fridge. Whack! Piecing herself back together. Whack! Making a name for herself. Whack! Turning this house room by room from what it once was, a constant reminder of her loss, to something she could finally call home. Whack! That’s what she did best, rise up and create. Whack! She could do this.
“Asami!” Korra was shaking her shoulder and had a hand ready to grab the sledgehammer. “I think you showed the cabinets who’s boss now.” Korra took the tool out of her shaking hands and set it down, removing her safety glasses before furrowing her brows. “You alright? Did they offend you or something?”
Asami huffed out a laugh and raised her own safety glasses. “Something like that.” She shrugged. “I’m sorry, sometimes I just get into it. I usually build stuff, so it’s nice to break shit apart sometimes.”
“I get it,” Korra said with a smile. “Just, maybe try and not hit the wall next time?” She stepped forward and wiped off where Asami had chipped away accidentally a part of the wall. “Actually, this could work. Did you know that brick was behind here?”
“Brick?” She asked and stepped up to take a look and sure enough the wall behind the cabinets was red brick and not wood or drywall.
“I had planned on doing a backsplash but if you’re ok with improvising I think the brick works a little more to your aesthetic.”
Asami cocked a hand on her hip, only just now noticing how close they were and shit did that tan skin look beautiful with a shiny layer of sweat. “My aesthetic?”
Korra threw her a cocky grin. “Yea, pretty much everything about you is red and black. Your car, clothes, lipstick. So with the black cabinets and red brick it would just be...you.”
“My lipstick, huh?” She rubbed her lips together and popped them, watching as Korra’s eyes followed the movement. Gotcha. “Well you’re the expert here, so I’ll give you the artistic liberty on that. We can always cover it up if I don’t like it.” She flipped her hair and walked away, knowing that it wouldn’t have the same effect since it was in a ponytail but she could feel those blue eyes on her so it didn’t matter.
Her aesthetic though...it had been so long since someone had noticed anything about Asami besides her wallet and position of power. To some it may seem small to be caught up in the fact that Korra had been considerate enough to think of what she might like on the spot, but the feeling settled into her stomach with each step away from the tan woman. Asami wasn’t prude by any means, she had her wild college years after her father’s death which wound up being many years of experimentation, but there was something different about Korra. There was no doubt that she was attractive, watching those biceps hurl a sledgehammer only offered to prove that point, but she was more than just her good looks.
Korra was good. She was sweet and funny but also cocky and fierce. She also didn’t seem to have a stop button, as it was already the third day of demolition and she worked from the moment she arrived until it was time to pack up and never complained. She was beautiful.
When Asami turned around and caught those blue eyes staring at her ass she knew it was only a matter of time before one of them did something.